Slate laying system

ABSTRACT

The slating of a new roof or the re-slating of an existing roof is carried out by attaching batten rails to the roof, and providing a clip for attachment to the underside of a slate that is to be mounted thereon. The batten rail and the clip mechanically interlock so as to secure the slate to the building.

This invention relates to a slate laying system and method of layingslates, for a roof or facade of a building, in respect of new roofs andfacades or the re-slating of existing roofs or facades.

Conventional systems for fixing slates are time consuming and oftenresult in breakages of the slates when they are secured to battens byhammering of nails thereto. Furthermore, once a slate has been nailed inplace it cannot then be adjusted into a better position with respect toadjacent slates.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a slate layingsystem and method of laying slates that overcomes or at least alleviatesknown disadvantages.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provideda slate laying system for a roof or facade of a building, comprising anelongate batten rail for attachment to a building support member, and aclip for attachment to the underside of a slate, wherein the batten railand the clip comprise a mechanical interlocking arrangement whichenables the slate to be secured to the building.

Advantageously, the interlocking arrangement between the clip and therail is such that a groove extends along the rail and a tongue isprovided on the clip, which preferably is resilient, for engagement withthe groove of the rail. Preferably, the groove extends along theunderside of the batten rail, and, with the clip arranged to be attachedto the underside of the slate, the tongue thereof may project upwardly.This interlocking arrangement thus allows adjustment of the positioningof the slate on the roof, by sliding the clip along the batten rail.

It is also preferred that the clip has raised projections so as to gripthe underside of the slate thereby to prevent rotation or slipping ofthe slate relative to the clip.

Advantageously, the clip is made of a resilient material, or mayalternatively be resiliently mounted onto the slate, so that theinterlocking engagement with the batten rail can be a snap fit.

In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a method of laying slates on a roof or facade of a building,comprising: attaching an elongate batten rail to a building supportmember; attaching a clip to a slate; and attaching the slate to thebatten rail by means of the clip, the batten rail and the clipcomprising a mechanical interlocking arrangement which enables the slateto be secured to the building.

It will be appreciated that the method of laying slates may utilise theslate laying system of the first aspect of the invention.

The mechanical interlocking provided by the present invention does notneed the slates to be hammered into place, and advantageously the slatesmay be clicked on to the batten rails and slid along to butt against anadjacent slate, without the use of nails.

Once the batten rails have been screwed into place on existing raftersor other fixed battens of the building, the entire roof or facade ofslates can be laid continuously in a short length of time. Ifsubsequently it is required to replace a broken slate, they are easilyindividually removed with a slate hook and a replacement slate, with itsclip attached thereto, can easily be fitted.

It is envisaged that the present invention may be used to slate orre-slate sloping roofs or walls of buildings, as well as substantiallyvertical walls.

It will be appreciated that reference herein to “slate” is not to beunderstood as a restriction to the material of the article, but ratherindicative of the function that it is to carry out, in providing thefinishing layer of a roof or facade of a building. Thus, for example,slate is intended also to encompass a tile or other roof or facademember.

A slate laying system and a method of laying slates, each in accordancewith the present invention, will now be described, by way of example,with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical elevation of a plurality of rows of slates mountedon a roof;

FIG. 2 is a detail of FIG. 1 showing the fixing of a clip to the slateand the clip to the roof;

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b show a clip in elevation and plan respectively;

FIG. 4 shows a mounting arrangement of a batten rail directly on to aroof; and

FIG. 5 shows the mounting arrangement of a batten rail on to a fixedbatten of a building.

Referring to the drawings, an elongate fixing rail 1 is associated witha plurality of fixing clips 2, which are second by respective rivets 3to the undersides of associated slates 5. In the first embodiment, therail 1 is secured to battens 6 by means of wood screws 4. The battenssit on top of roofing felt 8, which covers a rafter or boarding 7 of thebuilding.

The fixing rail 1 may be of generally planar construction as shown inFIGS. 1, 2 and 5, or alternatively may take the form 1 a in theembodiment of FIG. 4, where it comprises a box section for mounting onto the rafter 7.

The rail 1, 1 a has a groove 10 extending therealong, and each clip 1has an upwardly-directed tongue 11 that can be clipped into the groove10. The clip 2 is also provided with sharpened edges 12 in its uppersurface so as to grip the underside of the slate 5 when riveted thereto,thereby to prevent relative rotation of the slate 5 about the clip 2.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the clip 2 is secured to the underside ofthe slate 5 and its tongue 11 extends away therefrom. The portion of theclip 2 carrying the tongue 11 is preferably resilient, so that when theslate 5 is slide onto the fixing rail 1, the tongue 11 abuts the slopingsurface of the edge of the groove 10 so that the tongue 11 slidesthereover and clicks into place into groove 10 thereby securelyretaining the slate 5 to the rail 1, and thus to the batten 6 and rafter7.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the battens 6 are spaced apart along the roofso as to allow adjacent rows of slates 5 to overlap one another with aclearance gap 9 between the underlying slate 5 and the fixing rail 1 ofan adjacent row of slates.

It will be appreciated that the resilient clip 2 and the snap fittingaction into the groove 10 of the fixing rail 1, results in an audibleclick when the interlocking is effected. This indicates the propermounting of the slate 5 on to the rafter 7.

It will be appreciated that the system also allows for expansion andcontraction of the slates, while keeping them firmly secured to theroof.

1. A slate laying system comprising: an elongate batten rail forattachment to a building support member; and a clip fixedly attached tothe underside of each slate of the system; wherein the batten rail andthe clips comprise a mechanical interlocking arrangement which enableseach slate to be individually secured to the building support memberindependently of other slates; and wherein the interlocking arrangementcomprises a groove that extends along the underside of the batten railand a tongue of the clip for engagement therewith, such that each slateand clip, attached together, may be slid along the batten rail.
 2. Aslate laying system according to claim 1, wherein: the or each clip hasraised projections so as to grip the respective slate thereby to preventrotation or slipping of the clip relative to the associated slate.
 3. Aslate laying system according to claim 1, wherein: each associated clipand slate are riveted together.
 4. A slate laying system according toclaim 1, the system being for use on a sloping roof or substantiallyvertical wall.
 5. A slate laying system according to claim 1, wherein:the building support member comprises a rafter or a fixed batten of aroof.
 6. A method of laying slates on a roof or facade of a building,comprising the steps of: attaching an elongate batten rail to a buildingsupport member; fixedly attaching clips to respective slates; andattaching the slates to the batten rail by means of the clips, thebatten rail and the clips comprising a mechanical interlockingarrangement which, in use, enables each slate to be individually securedto the building support member independently of other slates; andwherein the interlocking arrangement comprises a groove that extendsalong the batten rail and a tongue of the clips that engage therewith,whereby after the batten rail and clips are interlocked, the slates maybe slid into position by means of sliding the clips along the battenrail.
 7. A method according to claim 6, wherein: the slates are laid ona rafter or fixed batten of a sloping roof or substantially verticalwall.